The invention concerns a roll-knot necktie clip.
It is a clip for tying neckties easily that eliminates the past complications of tying neckties. There are numerous types of devices currently on the market that relate to simple tying of neckties. These devices have the same general purpose as the invention. However, the specific purpose of the invention is more limited and does not relate to other inventions for which patent application has been made.
The invention is a device to arrange the shape and form of a necktie such that the necktie crosses and narrows at the neck section of the part of the tie that hangs in front, without tying a knot. Thus the invention is a clip for the wearing of neckties utilizing a tying method called a roll knot, similar to way mufflers or ascot ties are tied.
While there are no roll-knot clips on the market, the following inventions have been published in public patent bulletins.
1. Patent Announcement No.144113 (1996)
2. Patent Announcement No.3809 (1998)
Products with the same objective as the invention in a broad sense, that is, various kinds of simple necktie clips, are already on the market. Moreover, the number of applications to the Patent Office is substantial.
But while the motivation for inventing a simple necktie clip is the same, comparative examples cannot be provided here because in the narrow sense (roll-knot necktie clip), the purpose for creating the invention is different.
As indicated above, products for the same purpose as the invention in the narrow sensexe2x80x94that is, roll-knot tie clips xe2x80x94are not found on the market.
The patent application devices quoted above in 1 and 2 have the following problems. The aim of the invention is to resolve these problems.
1. The quoted inventions (Patent Announcement No.144113 (1990) and Patent Announcement No.3809 (1998); hereinafter: xe2x80x9cthe quoted inventionsxe2x80x9d) use a screw or similar object to narrow and insert the essential part of the necktie.
2. Inserting the essential part of the necktie and tightening the screw appears simple on explanation diagrams, but it is bothersome to practice, because half of the necktie can slip out of place while the other half is being held in place.
3. There is a danger of damaging the necktie when tightening the screw, because ties are not made from materials of the same quality as the metal screw and great force is exerted on a small area of the soft cloth, a weaker material.
4. Forcefully tightening the screw will damage the necktie, whereas the tie may easily slide off the clip if the force of the screw is too weak.
5. A much simpler approach is preferable for this type of device. The quoted inventions, however, all require screws, are complicated in structure, and are expensive to manufacture because of their numerous parts.
The imperfections of the quoted inventions can be cited as the reason that it has not been possible to make them commercially available. They are not simple enough to be worn effectively, the necktie may slip off the clip more easily than expected depending on the screw strength, and they fail to meet the need for improved necktie use.
The invention aims to be an appealing product that can solve these problems through very simple manufacture and exceptional ease of use.
The invention characteristics are as follows.
1. The invention consists of an holding frame used as a catch section that is formed by extending both tips of a narrow, short plate of metal or similar material bent into a U-shape, at right angles towards each other such that they form a claw shape, and a stopper made of some material such as plastic that has been formed into a spindle that is slightly indented in the center.
The user first squeezes the tie at the back of the tie knot that corresponds to the knot of the necktie when tied in a roll knot and overlaps the front and inside part of the necktie to be held by the claw-shaped catch section, using the elasticity of the entire metal frame. The user then inserts the stopper from below and inside the inserted necktie and makes sure the tie is securely inserted by the clip and stopper and the necktie is firmly fixed.
The holding frame and stopper are analogous to a nut and bolt, working together to form the necktie clip.
2. Rather than bend the catch section into a claw shape, the identical result can be achieved by bending it into a loop; or attaching caps or balls made of some frictional materials such as rubber or plastic to both tips without bending them. When a hard round substance such as pearl is used, the same effect as a spherical catch section made of frictional materials such as plastic can be achieved by applying a friction agent such as silicon to the inside of the hard spherical body.
3. The stopper can be made of frictional materials such as plastic in the shape of a spindle that is slightly indented in the center portion; or of a slender metal plate in the shape of a spindle that is slightly indented in the center when seen from the side.
4. By forming an inside holding frame shaped like a ring that is slightly open at the tips and connecting it to the holding frame by a short plate such that both pieces are joined at the base, the inside holding frame maintains the insertion unit so a necktie can be tied firmly without having to use a stopper. This substantially improves ease and reliability of use.
5. The inside holding frame can also be formed by continuing to bend the bottom of the U-shaped unit directly at right angles into a forked shape and extending the tips to the prescribed length.
6. The inside holding frame can also be formed by directly extending the bottom section of the U-shaped body to the prescribed length in a spiral.
7. other ways to connect the parts that can be considered are an arrangement that allows the holding frame to slide. This is formed by doubling over the connector plate of the inside holding frame, extending it to the prescribed length and inserting the bottom portion of the holding frame into the slot formed by the doubled portion, or joining the connector plate portions with a hinge. The result increases the simplicity of use.
To make a necktie, the user does not tie the necktie in the normal fashion. Instead he crosses both halves and hangs one half of the roll knot (in this case the wider portion) on the outside, as with a muffler or ascot tie. Then, on the exact inside of where they cross, the user folds and overlaps the outside and inside portions of the necktie into a U-shape, inserts both ends into the claw-shaped clip portion and tightens the knot. Because the tips of the claw-shaped portion have a half-moon shape, the edges of the overlapping halves of the necktie can be precisely aligned by sliding the upper part of the necktie material as if drawing a circle and inserting the material so it is not damaged. The clip cannot easily slip off.
Merely inserting the necktie using the holding frame puts tension on the tie from the elasticity from the outside part of the tie, and the tie may slip out of place or come undone. To prevent this the spindle part that is made from material such as plastic and is slightly indented in the center is used as a stopper and inserted into the knot from the bottom part of the frame. Together with the clip the two parts fit together exactly like a nut and bolt, as explained above. This makes it possible to firmly secure the necktie.
In this case the indentation in the center of the spindle is analogous to the threads on a bolt and acts to prevent the tie from returning to the position it had just prior to the stopper being inserted, or from slipping or coming undone.
When the stopper is shaped to form a spindle that is slightly indented in the center when seen from the side, by bending both tips made from a slender long metal plate, the moderate tension in the metal plate acts on the outside as a stopper to hold the inserted necktie in place. When the catch part is bent into a loop shape without making a claw shape or is formed without bending into a spherical or cap shape with rubber or plastic material on both tips, the necktie can be smoothly inserted using moderate tension, while at the same time the strong friction towards the front half makes it hard for the necktie to slip off.
By forming a continuous structure with a plate joining the bottoms of the holding frame U-shape and the ring-shaped inside holding frame, the inside holding frame continues to hold the portion that was the inside backing of the crossed necktie, and action that pulls the inserted portion upwards also occurs. Force will also be added from the front side, forming a knot that will not easily come undone.
Through the action described above, the connected holding frame and inside holding frame structure not only make the stopper unnecessary, the inside holding frame also fulfills the role of a frame holding the essential part of the necktie and serves to give a smart look to the completed necktie.
The inside holding frame can also be made with an elongated structure that does not use the connector plate and that curves in a direct forked shape from the bottom of the U-shaped frame of the holding frame, but the result is nearly the same as with the ring-shaped inside holding form.
It is also possible to make the inside holding frame in a spiral of prescribed length with a single tip instead of the forked shape that wraps around the base portion of the inside of the crossed necktie to form the knot. In this case the invention is uniquely easy to use.
When using a structure to install the connector plate by extending it slightly and doubling it over in a way that allows the holding frame to slide, the user first slides the holding frame part and pulls it completely down to the bottom of the doubled section, then inserts the ring portion of the inside holding frame into the inside of the crossed necktie to support the base. The user then inserts the U-shaped overlapping necktie into the holding frame in one direction using the claw-shaped part, and finally slides the holding frame part back to its original position. The invention is aimed at beginners, enabling even those who are not used to tying a necktie to easily make a knot using the clip.
Because the holding frame portion and the inside holding frame portion can be variably connected using the connector plate, the tie can be made easily by first supporting the inside of the crossed necktie by folding the inside holding frame portion in front, then inserting the overlapped necktie into the U-shape. This is also intended for beginners.